Arsenal turned up the heat at the top of the National Division with their 16th straight win, but they were made to work hard for their 1-0 victory away to Watford.

Rachel Yankey scored the only goal of the game in the first half to give her side a lead of nine points going into Sunday's showdown with title rivals Everton.

Birmingham City meanwhile are level on points with fourth placed Doncaster Rovers Belles after they ran out 4-0 winners over Nottingham Forest, who remain in the bottom two. Maz Gauntlett bagged a double for the second match in succession and she was joined on the scoresheet by Heather Scheuber and Becky Hall.